Chapter One “Damn,” Dominique Green swore, sucking air through her teeth in frustration. She took off her Gucci shades in order to stare down at the ruined shoe. She should have taken it as a premonition when the heel of her $250 pump snapped, causing her ankle to twist, as she got ready to get into her silver, SLK-Class Mercedes Benz. She wasn’t going to worry about it though. Being equipped to handle such situations, (because a lady is always prepared) she pulled the lever and the trunk popped open. She got out, walked around to the back of the car and promptly selected another pair of shoes out of the built-in, custom shoe rack. She would never be caught slipping. A woman has to always have a backup plan. That goes for any situation. Though her ankle throbbed, upon inspection she saw that it wasn’t swollen. Satisfied that the shoes matched her trendy Dolce & Gabbana skirt set she slipped her feet into them. Dominique frowned at the damaged shoe that she’d taken off. She tossed the set into the back of
the trunk, slamming the lid shut. Glancing at her gold diamond encased watch she frowned slightly. She still had enough time to make a grand entrance. She just knew that everyone on her floor would be waiting to honor her. This marked the first day she’d be stepping into her new job position as Account Executive at Troutman Mutual Funds and Investments. And step is exactly what she intended to do—more like strut. She’d pretend to be shocked when her co-workers yelled out, “Surprise!” She was good at being fake and phony. Hell, she’d had enough practice over the years. She smiled as she headed in the direction of the office, not even letting the congested morning traffic irritate her as it usually did. It was a nice morning, warm enough to profile. She’d let down her drop-top if she weren’t afraid of messing up her new weave job. She couldn’t let a $200 up-do blow in the wind, no matter how tempting. Driving five miles over the speed limit, Dominique let her mind set the scene. She could almost bet that her secretary, Brenda, had ordered balloons and the likes. There’d be a big, decorated cake filled to the capacity with calories, the last thing her hips needed. Confetti
could litter the top of her new desk. That would the cherry wood oak desk she’d ordered to her specifications, with matching filing cabinets. As the new Account Executive, Dominique had her office completely redecorated. Mr. Troutman had spared no expenses. When it came to getting things to go her way, Dominique was a pro. It didn’t take long before she arrived at her destination. She found a parking space close to the building and pulled into it. For the umpteenth time, she wished her parking arrangements had been worked out so that she could be under the covered garage. Her baby didn’t need to be out in the open so birds could shit on it. Besides, some jealous bitch she’d probably pissed off could key it up, since it was easy to spot. If she could park under the covered garage, the camera would give her a sense of security. She would have to work on Marcus regarding that. He was in charge of the assigned parking. Maybe it was time she took him up on that offer of a date. He asked her at every chanced opportunity. The problem with Marcus was he wasn’t up to her standards. Marcus prided himself for being head of security, but in
Dominique’s opinion, that wasn’t good enough. She doubted that his paychecks for an entire month could cover her rent. Any man she associated with had to have something going for them career wise. There would be no sponging off of her. She had to admit, Marcus was fine. She smiled as she pictured his chocolate, smooth skin and unusual hazel eyes. He stood around six three, with a well-built, solid frame. He had arms the size of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. She’d have to think about hooking up with him and weigh whether or not if it was worth parking under the covered garage. Still smiling, she stepped through the automatic doors of Troutman Mutual Funds and Investments. Not hearing, “Surprise!” as she’d expected, caused her plastered on fake smile to waver. Where were all the people? Where was the noise and the excitement associated with a celebration? All she encountered was an “I can hear a pin drop” type of quietness. “Good morning, Ray,” she said to the security guard posted at the front desk. Ray, usually cheerful and animated, sat wearing a glum expression on his haggard
face. He looked up and she could have sworn that his bottom lip trembled. Damn. Something bad must have happened, Dominique thought. “Not such a good morning, Miss Green. Mr. Troutman died. Just fell over his desk. Heart attack, I suspect,” Ray revealed. “Oh no,” she exclaimed, more so for herself than for Mr. Troutman. She really did feel bad that he’d kicked the bucket, but she felt even worse because now nobody would be thinking about her. A heart attack certainly would put a damper on celebrating her success. She could tell that Ray waited for some words of comfort or consolation. Searching down deep inside, she found nothing to offer him. Instead, she hurried to catch the elevator. “See you later,” she threw out. Ray’s shoulders hunched in grief, but Dominique didn’t catch it because the elevator doors closed. Feeling somewhat deflated, she pushed the button for the third floor. As she waited to arrive at her destination, she tried not to pout. Maybe Brenda had something planned. She shouldn’t have expected to be greeted by
the entire company. She wasn’t the president or even the CEO for that matter. Dominique Green was spoiled and selfish. She knew it and everyone who was anyone knew it too. Her selfishness didn’t stop men from going out of their way to accommodate her, though. She could also woo most of the women she encountered, on a good day. Nothing got in the way of her getting what she wanted. Today, she wanted a cake and some balloons damn-it. Today might be the first time she didn’t get her way, and that thought made her livid. The elevator stopped on the second floor and a drop dead gorgeous, black Adonis got on. Dominique quickly checked her reflection in the shiny interior of the elevator’s walls. She looked chic, as usual. She made it a habit to always be on point. She had every hair in place, make-up immaculate, and nails French manicured down with the toes to match. The gentleman barely acknowledged her as he leaned in to push three. Seeing that the button was already lit, he settled against the far wall. “Good morning,” Dominique tried. “Um,” he mumbled.
Who shoved a sour lemon up your ass this morning? She wondered. She thought about just letting this one go but out the corner of her eye she could see that he had it going on. His fine physique immediately made her panties moist. He was tall, dark and handsome in every sense of the word. He stood at least six foot six. He carried himself well beneath his Armani suit. His shoes proved that he had good taste as well as money. A Kmart salary couldn’t afford such a sharp wardrobe. He even had the bling bling to match. A 24 karat gold necklace draped his neck. He sported a diamond earring in both lobes. They were real diamonds not Cubic Zirconium. She checked out his Rolex watch and took in the perfectly manicured fingernails. That turned her on even more. In her opinion, a grown ass man with oil and dirt under his fingernails had to be the most disgusting sight ever. She kept taking inventory of the gentleman. His hair wasn’t to her liking. She preferred a brother to wear a low cut fade. This brother sported dreadlocks. They appeared to be soft and inviting to the touch. Plus, they looked clean and not like some bird’s nest or matted yarn.
The brother was definitely up on his hygiene. In her opinion, that was important. Nine times out of ten, if a man looked dirty, then the seat of his drawers would probably be crusty or he’d be ashy. That was definitely a turnoff. Thinking about ashy people took Dominique back to one of her past flings. Melvin Wilson would dress in the best clothes that money could buy. Sean Jean, Roc A Wear, G Unit: a name brand accompanied anything he owned. The downside, he’d be wrinkled from head to toe like an elephant. To make matters worse, he’d be ashy. His elbows and ankles resembled miniature chalkboards. He hadn’t the slightest clue that no lotion makes you dry sometime. To top it off, the brother’s armpits must have been afraid of deodorant. She’d been sad to see the money go, but her nostrils hadn’t been able to put up with Melvin for more than three months. And his feet. She wouldn’t be surprised if he could walk on hot coals. He needed a special kind of foot soak for those bear claw replicas. He needed to go old school with it and just add some Epsom salt and a cap full of bleach in a gallon of hot water. That would scald the husk right off of them bad boys.
Thinking about Melvin’s feet made her laugh out loud. She couldn’t contain herself. “Am I amusing you?” The deep, rich tones of the stranger’s voice rushed over her like a caress. Dominique had forgotten that she wasn’t alone. She quickly cleared her throat. “Oh, no. Not at all. I was just thinking about something,” she said, still giggling from the image of Melvin holding a bottle of Clorox. “Well, at least someone can find humor on a day like this.” He glanced her way. “Mr. Troutman just died, or did you hear the news yet?” “I was informed when I arrived,” she stated, pulling herself together and switching to business mode. “I’m heading to his office now. By the way, I’m his new Account Executive,” she added. “Oh? Well, you must be grief-stricken?” His eyes met hers and narrowed, suddenly. He’d heard all about his uncle’s new Account Executive. A friend of his, Lauretta, worked in the New Accounts department. She’d been more than happy to fill him in on his uncle’s excursions. Learning of some of his uncle’s business decisions had prompted him to come for a visit. He was
glad that he’d had a chance to see his uncle before his death. Was this woman somehow responsible for the heart attack that had taken his uncle away? His lips curled in distaste at the thought. Lauretta had painted Dominique Green as a headhunter, a selfcentered hussy and heartless slut. He was face-to-face with the gold-digger who had slept her way to the top, using his uncle in the process. How ironic for them to meet on the elevator today of all days. “Grief-stricken?” She gazed at him as though he was delirious. “Not really. I barely knew the man,” she said carelessly. “I’m heading to his office as well.” His brown eyes swept over her in a contemptuous glare. “By the way, my name is Arvind Thompson. I’ll be stepping in for Mr. Troutman, my uncle,” he said pointedly. Dominique’s mouth dropped open on its own accord. This was Mr. Troutman’s nephew. Oops. She’d spoken her mind as usual. Today, it might have caused her to become ostracized. She had to be more careful. She didn’t need a new enemy. She already had enough backstabbers to contend with. If anything, since Arvind
would be the new CEO, she needed him in her corner. What was a good way to suck up to him? She quickly recovered from her initial shock and cleared her throat again. “Mr. Thompson. Arvind, did you say? That’s a unique name. I haven’t properly introduced myself. I’m Dominique Green.” She extended her hand, which he ignored. Feeling slighted, she let it drop back to her side. They came to a stop and the doors opened. The two of them watched paramedics roll the body of Mr. Troutman onto the elevator. “Oh my God,” Dominique gasped, stepping hurriedly out of the compartment. “Don’t worry Miss Green,” Arvind said sarcastically, following her slowly. “The dead can’t talk. Your secrets are safe.” For now, he thought.
Of course, Dominique’s first day as Account Executive had been ruined. She spent the majority of it accepting condolences from well-wishing co-workers
and clients who’d heard of Mr. Troutman’s untimely demise. By lunchtime she’d decided to call it quits. She grabbed her Louis Vuitton purse from the bottom of the desk drawer in preparation to leave. She had to get out of this sad, dismal place before she threw herself over the balcony. Everybody behaved as though Mr. Troutman had been the Reverend Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. She’d never witnessed people carry on so. Groups had huddled together talking in hushed tones. People had burst into tears. She’d even seen a few women crying at their desks. “Miss Green, can I see you in my uncle’s office?” She heard from behind, causing her to twirl around in the chair, alarmed. “What now?” she wondered aloud. The morning had consisted of a department meeting. Arvind had talked to the department and informed them about paid grief counseling, courtesy of the company. He’d even suggested that if they needed to take the day off in order to deal with the tragedy, they’d still receive pay. He hadn’t extended the invitation to Dominique, however. As a matter of fact, he’d basically ignored her
the entire morning. Now, he wanted to talk and she just wanted to leave. Not caring to make waves, she got up and followed him. “Have a seat,” he offered. She sat down in the gray straight-backed office chair then crossed her legs. Arvind didn’t let the movement go unnoticed. His eyes took in Dominique Green—all of her. She oozed femininity. She was far from being considered beautiful, in his opinion, but she was extremely attractive. Her honey colored skin shone from too much makeup. She could do without that goop caked on her face. It would probably take about five years off her age, too. She had nice, full, Angelina Jolie type lips. Of course, she’d spread some chocolate colored lipstick across them, covering their natural moistness. She had high cheekbones, which added to her striking appearance. Her long graceful neck supported a diamond stud necklace with matching earrings that swung from her lobes. His eyes dropped lower to scrutinize the rest of her. He couldn’t tell what size breasts she had because of the thickness of her jacket. He guessed they were a 36 B: not too big, not to small, just the right size to put in your mouth.
Yes, Miss Green was sexy as hell. She crossed her long, shapely legs and he stared at the silky nylons in fascination. He’d love to reach under that little skirt she had on and slide those stockings down her golden thighs, spread her legs and ease one finger inside her. He wondered if she would be as wet as he imagined her to be. How would she taste? “Mr. Thompson, can we get on with it?” Her voice snapped him out of his fantasy. He blinked a few times and stared at her shoes in an effort to not give away his lucid thoughts. Being behind a desk had its advantage: she wasn’t able to see how excited he’d become. “Are those Giovanna?” he asked. “Excuse me?” She gave him an incredulous stare. “Your shoes? Are they Giovanna?” he repeated. Now he had Dominique intrigued. Either the brother was one classy man or he was straight up gay. “No, actually, they’re from Kimora Lee Simmons’ new line. But I know you didn’t call me in here to discuss shoes,” she said exasperated. “You’re right.” He leaned back in his chair but continued to assess her. After what seemed like a full minute of him ogling her, he spoke. “Miss Green, the
nature of this meeting is to inform you that for the next month, we’ll be working in close proximity on the Lauderdale account. This is one of our most important clients, if not the most important. We can’t afford to let my uncle’s death cause us to lose them.” He was all seriousness even though the thought of banging her back out clouded his mind. He had to dispel those thoughts from his head. Dominique Green was unnerving him, but he had to gain control. After all, she might be the reason that his uncle’s heart had given out. “I understand that today is your first day as Account Executive. Well, now you’ll get to experience hard work. From what I’ve heard about you so far, that’s not something you’re accustomed to.” He held up his hand to stop her protest of outrage. “Don’t bother to feign insult. Now is the time to lay all of the cards on the table. If you thought that this was going to be an easy paycheck for you, you’ve been disillusioned.” He settled back in his uncle’s leather chair and stared at her with hard eyes. “I don’t know the nature of the relationship you may or may not have had with my uncle. But ours will be strictly professional. If you can’t handle the job or the extra duties I’ve assigned, now is the time to make that
clear. I can easily put you back into your old position. No harm done and no hard feelings. Mike Parham would be the ideal replacement-” “What?” she nearly spat. She’d been silent up until this point. Now her face contorted in anger as she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward in the seat to glare at him. She placed her hands on the edge of his desk for support. “Mike Parham doesn’t know his asshole from a donut hole,” she snarled. “Miss Green, this is a professional working environment. Need I remind you to refrain from such language?” he asked. “It’s offensive. Besides, it’s unbecoming for a lady.” She blew air through her flaring nostrils. “What’s unbecoming is you and your holier than thou attitude. You waltz in here one day and you’ve already formed an opinion of me based on idle gossip. That’s unfair,” she pointed out. He rolled his eyes at her and smirked. “Haven’t you heard the saying, life is unfair? I’m sure my uncle is thinking that from wherever it is he’s gone. He didn’t count on dying right at the moment that his company was one of the leading investment firms in the state, did
he?” She made it a point to ignore his question. It wasn’t as if he’d expected an answer anyway. “Mr. Thompson, can I go now? You’ve made it perfectly clear what is expected of me. I’ll do my job and give a hundred and ten percent. The Lauderdale account won’t suffer. Mike Parham wouldn’t know how to handle anything concerning this client since I am the one who signed them in the first place.” She sat back in the chair and re-crossed her legs. Arvind pursed his lips. He had more to say but it could wait. Little did she know, but the days of Miss. Green crossing and uncrossing her legs in her short, sexy, expensive skirts were over. He’d be implementing a new dress code, effective immediately. All women had to wear pants suits or skirts that were three inches above the knee. He could not let lust led him astray. He had a job to do and was determined to succeed at it. Miss Green was indeed a very desirable woman, but he wasn’t falling into her clutches. He knew all about women using what they had to get what they wanted. They crossed his path all the time. Plus, she may have killed his uncle.
“You can go,” he told her and she stood up abruptly and made for the door. “One other thing,” his words halted her but she didn’t turn around. “I expect you to be here at seven tomorrow morning.” “But my shift doesn’t start until eight,” she said, finally turning to face him. “I know. But I need someone to make the coffee,” he said casually. “It’ll probably take you thirty minutes to figure out where to find the coffee pot and another thirty minutes to make it.” Her face stiffened and her eyes narrowed at his obvious insult. Her lips grew tight with ill-concealed anger. “I don’t make coffee, Mr. Thompson. That’s Brenda’s job. I think you need to familiarize yourself with my job duties and responsibilities. I’m nobody’s little do-girl,” she snapped. “I’ll see you tomorrow – at eight.” With that, she stalked out of the office. She had too much dignity to let the door slam behind her even though she felt like slamming it so hard that it rocked off the hinges. Arrvind watched as she sashayed away. Sister was wearing the hell out of that short skirt. That’s the reason he had to change the dress code. How could he walk
around and expect to be taken serious if he had a hard on pressing against the front of his trousers? That could definitely pave the way for numerous sexual harassment lawsuits, as well.
Chapter Two Dominique decided that she’d compromise and be at the office at 7:30. That meant she had to rush in applying her make-up and she’d skipped breakfast. She didn’t mind not eating though. She’d make up for it during lunchtime. When she arrived at the office, she found that neither Mr. Thompson nor Brenda had made it in. It turned out that she had to make the coffee after all. A quarter ‘til eight, Brenda called to say she couldn’t make it in to work. She explained that her seven-year-old son had suffered an asthma attack. She’d probably need the rest of the week off to care for him. She mentioned something about having to put him on some machine and giving him medications every four hours. Dominique hung up, glad that she didn’t have any brats to contend with. If they came out having asthma, they’d probably needed expensive medications. Children always needed something. If it wasn’t formula, it was pampers. They graduated on to needing clothes and
shoes. If they were bucked toothed, they needed braces. Before long, they wanted cars and houses. She’d be damned if she would spend her money on anybody except herself. Nope, kids were out of the question. “Good morning, Miss Green.” Hearing Arvind’s voice nearly caused her to drop the cup of steaming coffee she’d just finished pouring. “Good morning, Mr. Thompson,” she managed. “I have your coffee here, if you tell me how you’d like it.” She rushed on to say, “Brenda called in. She’ll most likely be out the remainder of the week.” “I hope she’s alright,” he said in concern. “She’s fine. Her son has asthma,” she explained. She saw the compassion cloud his eyes. So, he had a heart after all. “Umff! That’s awful. I’ll have to give her a call and check on his condition. Not being able to breathe is no joke.” He seemed far away all of a sudden. “Mr. Thompson?” Her voice broke into his thoughts. “Oh, I’m sorry. I tend to let my mind drift from time to time,” he said. “Here’s your coffee. Do you take it with cream and sugar or just plain?”
He stared at the cup that she’d extended towards him. For a second, he’d let his guard down. He couldn’t allow that to happen again. This was Dominique Green, the man-eater he was dealing with, after all. It would do him good to always remember that. He took the Styrofoam cup filled with liquid. “I apologize, Miss Green. I don’t drink the stuff. Never got used to the taste.” To her utter amazement, he dropped the beverage into a nearby garbage can. The door to his office closed on her shocked expression. In her office, Dominique fumed for the first thirty minutes. How dare he waste her time? She had a mind to storm into his office and tell him to kiss her ass. She really had to convince herself not to do anything that could cause her to lose her job. That man infuriated her. But no matter how much of a pompous ass he was, she’d remain professional. She would not let an anal retentive asshole like Arvind make her lose something she’d worked so hard to gain. Dominique walked over to the file cabinet and snatched open the top drawer. She grabbed some files that she’d been working on the day before. She slammed
them on the top of her desk and sat down heavily. She wanted to scream her rage. Behind the closed door, Arvind chuckled. He could hear Dominique in the next room having a temper tantrum. She’d be okay. She probably considered him to be her worst nightmare. He really wasn’t as anal retentive as he no doubt appeared to be in Dominique’s eyes. He just wanted to get his point across. He would not succumb to her overtures, so there was no need for her to make any. He was almost one hundred percent certain that any interest she may have had in him had dissipated with the coffee incident. If that didn’t do the trick, his next deed certainly would. He pushed the intercom button on his phone to summon Dominique. “Miss Green?” “Yes?” Her tone was crisp since she couldn’t quite hide her emotions. “I have an important memo that needs to be sent out immediately. Since Brenda isn’t here, I’ll need you to type it. Can you come into my uncle’s… my office, please?”
“I’ll be right there.” “Thank you.” The memo concerned the implementation of the new dress code. Even though Dominique frowned as she typed his dictation, she said nothing. Once finished, she got up to leave. “I guess that means you can retire that outfit to your closet,” he commented. He surveyed the trendy twopiece that she’d chosen to wear. “Or you can save it for club attire.” Though she wanted to hurl a comeback at him, she just bit her tongue and kept silent. She did, however, roll her eyes. “Thank you Miss Green. After lunch, report back to my office so that we can go over the Lauderdale account together.” “No problem.” “Oh, before I forget, do you have Brenda’s number? I want to call her before I get too engrossed in work.” She recited the number to him and he jotted it down on a Sticky Notepad. “Thank you.” He’d already lifted the receiver and began dialing. “You’re dismissed,” he stated, not bothering to glance her way. “Hello Brenda? This is Mr. Thompson-” She pulled the door closed softly, though once again she wanted to slam it.
“You’re dismissed,” she mimicked. He’d treated her like she was some damned second grader in elementary school. Once again, Mr. Thompson had her blood boiling. She knew exactly what needed to be done in order to calm her nerves that were now shot. She retrieved her cell phone from her Coach bag and searched through her contact numbers. She looked for one name in particular. Chad. Chad could help her get her mind right. She dialed his number and arranged a mid-day rendezvous.
Chad waited as Dominique got out of her car. Looking thuggish, yet sexy, in his South Pole urban wear, for some reason, he appealed to her. She’d met him at her college roommate’s wedding reception a few months prior. He’d been confident without being too cocky, so she gave him her number. She was so glad that she hadn’t ignored him. He hadn’t been the type that usually attracted her. However, he’d had a certain confidence that had pulled her in. She called him a few weeks later and they hooked up.
The size of his dick had impressed her and the fact that he knew how to work it impressed her even more. Never had she expected a slim man to be so wellendowed. She’d been prepared for Chad to act like a caveman in the bedroom, but he’d surprised her in that aspect as well. He was tender, taking it slow until she’d loosened up. He even allowed her to take full control. She’d liked that most of all. Though she’d planned to “stick and move,” her plans changed the first time he caused her to experience backto-back orgasms. Chad definitely was a keeper. “What’s up?” he greeted. “I need some stress relief,” she told him, quickly ushering him inside. She barely gave him time to close the door before she was on him. Her hands snatched at his clothes, tugging them off impatiently. He did the same. As soon as she undressed, his hot mouth was on her breasts. “You need this?” “Yes,” she moaned, as he licked a trail down her stomach. “Forget the foreplay, just fuck me,” she commanded.
“Okay.” She heard a Magnum pack tear and urged him to hurry up, put it on, and fuck her. And that’s exactly what he did. Bending her over, he took her right in the middle of the living room. He slid in and out of her, making her gasp her pleasure aloud. “Oh Chad, fuck this pussy!” Dominique screamed. She couldn’t think of anything except his dick going in and out of her. “Is this what you want?” He grabbed her hips and pulled her back against his powerful thrusts. They could hear the sound of her ass cheeks smacking against his thighs. “Oh, it feels good! It feels so good. Give it to me!” After a few more thrusts, she felt an intense orgasm wash over her. “Yes! That’s it Chad. I’m coming! Do it, baby! I’m coming!” It wasn’t long before her legs gave out and she slipped to the carpeted floor. Chad turned her over and put her trembling legs over his shoulders. He drove into her until she shuddered through another climax. “Damn! I’m ‘bout to bust it, baby. Shit!” he swore, as he throbbed and pulsated inside her until he came.
The two lay on the floor until their breathing resumed to normal. “So, how much time you got to kill?” he asked. “As much time as it takes.” He grabbed her hands. “You willin’ to let me make you lose control?” His eyes challenged her as he reached for the pantyhose she’d shed with the rest of her clothes. “Yeah, sure.” Their eyes held as he used the pantyhose to tie her hands together over her head. “You won’t be disappointed,” he promised.
Hooking up with Chad had been just what she needed. As she headed back to Troutman Mutual Funds & Investments, she felt the tension ease away. Now, she could deal with Mr. Arvind Head-In-His-Ass Thompson. She arrived back late but didn’t particularly care. Getting docked in pay was well worth the time she’d spent with Chad. Her face flushed as she remembered the heated session they’d just shared. If today had been any indication of what was to come, she’d have to put Chad’s number on speed dial.
She entered her office to find Arvind leaning over her desk searching through the files she’d left on top of it. “Miss Green, I don’t see the Lauderdale file,” he stated when she approached. “That’s because I have it.” “Oh. It would have been nice of you to leave it behind so that I could analyze it,” he snapped. “You said that we were going over it together,” she reminded him. “That may be the case however; I would have liked the opportunity to familiarize myself with it before our meeting.” “Suit yourself,” she said. She wasn’t about to let him frazzle her again. She reached into her briefcase, got the file and thrust it towards him. He stared at the folder, but didn’t open it. He took in her tousled appearance and his eyes met hers with a knowing look. “Miss Green, I’ll give you fifteen minutes to make yourself presentable for our meeting,” he smirked. “See you then,” she said breezily and floated off to the ladies room. Arvind’s eyes slanted. He wasn’t stupid by a long shot. He knew what that extra pep in her step meant.
Earlier in the morning she wore lipstick. After lunch, she’d returned without it. She’d gone off for lunch and had gotten laid. He couldn’t understand for the life of him why that thought bothered him so much. Miss Green was a grown ass woman; she could do whatever she wanted. It had nothing to do with him. But had she really done that? His brow was furrowed in concentration when Dominique walked into his office ten minutes later. “I’m ready,” she stated sweetly. “Have a seat,” he offered, glancing up from the Lauderdale file. She’d tidied herself up, replaced her lipstick and fixed her hair. He couldn’t let thoughts of her lying up under some man enter into his head. It was time to get down to business. Like he’d told himself, her personal affairs didn’t concern him. Did she smell like Coast deodorant soap? “I’ve gone over the letters and requests that Mr. Lauderdale has sent to us. How did my uncle and Jack Lauderdale get along?” He leaned back in his seat and waited for her answer.
“Oh, they had established a good rapport. They’d even begun golfing together on Saturdays,” Dominique informed. “Golfing?” Arvind asked incredulously. “My uncle? Humph. I’ve never known him to golf. That’s news to me.” “Seems like you didn’t really know your uncle that well,” Dominique commented dryly. “He loved to play golf.” “Apparently, playing golf was up their on his list with playing the field. I’m sure you don’t have too much to say about that, do you?” “What are you implying, Mr. Thompson? If you’re suggesting that your uncle’s and my relationship was anything but professional, you’d better think twice before revealing it,” she stated in warning. Yes, it was definitely Coast that he smelled. And Coast was clearly a masculine scent. He shook his head to clear it. “Miss Green, forgive me for that comment. I was out of line. The type of relationship you had with my uncle is none of my concern. What is my concern is that we maintain the
highest level of professionalism, with senior level attention to detail to Lauderdale Capital.” “I agree,” she said, exhaling and settling back down. “Update me on them. Tell me everything that you know since you’ve been working so close with them over the past few months.” “I know that they are a company that has integrity. It governs every thing that they do.” “I like that,” he nodded. “Go on.” “To date, the firm has an outstanding reputation and a very successful track record in all of their business dealing.” “That’s great,” he commented. “Mr. Jack Lauderdale, what do you know of him?” “He’s a religious man; a devout Christian. He’s family oriented and an all out nice guy from what I could see.” “You ever went out with him?” “Not personally, no. Of course, your uncle and I have held business meetings with him,” she stated. He flipped through the file that held important documentation. “I see that they’re looking to establish a joint venture with us, possibly a partnership.”
“That’s our primary goal- to eventually go into partnership with them. Lauderdale generally seeks real estate investments requiring a minimum of $3.0 million in equity capital. They deal with the big bucks.” Arvind whistled and placed his hands behind his neck. “Pretty impressive. Well, let’s establish the joint venture first. Once we see how things flow, we’ll be able to decide about becoming partners with them later.” “They will definitely be a huge asset to us, especially with improving our access to financial resources,” Dominique said. “Plus, with them, we could spread the costs and risks on this upcoming project.” “You’re right. That’s good insight on your part,” he complimented. “I see you really have done your homework,” he added. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. When we bring in clients that help us to make more money, I stand to gain.” “So, it’s all about you, huh?” His brow lifted as he stared at her. “Why not?” she quipped. “Even though money is the root of all evil, I can never get enough of it.” “That verse is often misquoted,” he said.
“Excuse me?” “That verse about money is often misquoted,” he repeated. “The entire verse says, “For the love of money is money is the root of all evil.” So, it’s not the money that’s to blame. It’s the love of it.” “Well, thank you for pointing that out. And exactly where did you come up with that? It’s classic,” she said in sarcasm. “It’s from the Bible,” he said softly. “Oh,” Dominique could only swallow down her shame. She would have known that if she hadn’t fought so hard not to become like her mother. Her mother was one of those religious types that preached hell fire and brimstone type of condemnation. It had either been her way or no way, no in-betweens. Dominique had been forced to attend church every Sunday. Most Wednesdays and Fridays found her at Bible study. She’d never been allowed to lead a normal childhood. Church events had dominated most of her days. Dominique couldn’t stand being raised in such a strict environment. To this day, she didn’t believe any of the Biblical principles she’d been taught. Her stepfather had been a pastor and the biggest hypocrite in the
church. She’d never believe any of the words that he’d preached. Right before her eighteenth birthday, she’d broken the chains and left home to attend FAMU on a full scholarship. While away at college she hadn’t been in touch with her mother very often. Even now, she still kept a safe distance. Her lifestyle and her mother’s lifestyle didn’t mix. Thinking about the strained relationship between herself and her mother caused Dominique to frown. Arvind glanced up from the file and caught her confused expression. “Are you okay?” he asked softly. “Oh, I’m fine,” she said, recovering quickly. “I’m just tired. I can’t wait to get home and soak my aching muscles.” “I’ll just bet they’re aching,” he said under his breath. Dominique’s comment had caused him to conjure up thoughts of her and her unknown lunch partner. I know that’s Coast. Earlier this morning she smelled like Escape. Had she gone to lunch and had a tryst?
“Well, if you don’t need me any further, I’d like to go now. I have a nail appointment at five and I don’t want to be late.” Her voice cut into his thoughts. He almost blurted out that she’d been late returning from lunch, but if he did that, she’d know that he’d been watching the clock. He didn’t want to start off being that kind of boss. He wanted employees who respected him. He wanted to establish a good working relationship with each and every one of his former uncle’s employees. He especially wanted to develop one with Dominique. At the moment, he just didn’t know exactly what kind of a relationship. “You can go. You did come in early and I appreciate that. Thank you,” he said. “Is it fair to assume that I can come in at my regular time tomorrow morning, being that you don’t drink coffee?” she added, bringing back the incident from earlier. Her comment brought a broad smile to his face. He would love to have been a fly on the wall when he’d tossed the coffee she’d given him. Surely, the look on her face had to have been priceless?
Dominique couldn’t figure out for the life of her what he found so amusing. She didn’t get paid nearly enough to be the brunt of his sadistic jokes. She had to leave before she decided to get ethnic after all and tell him about himself. “See you tomorrow, Mr. Thompson. Have a nice evening,” she said through tight lips. Without waiting to hear a reply she got up and strutted out.
Chapter Three Dominique slipped out of her heels and padded to the kitchen in her nylons. She wasn’t worried about snagging them on something because they had already been ruined. She could blame that on Chad. He’d used them to tie her hands above her head. Thinking about it made her laugh out loud. Chad was a straight up freak. Even though he was ten year younger, he didn’t mind trying new things. Plus, he liked to take control. She wasn’t used to being dominated, but with Chad, she really didn’t mind going along with his kinky ideas. It spiced things up and kept her going back for more. She took out some leftovers, which consisted of combination lo mien noodles from the day before to heat up. She carefully took the metal wire from the box before sticking the container in the microwave. Once she’d made the mistake of putting a container
in the microwave without taking the metal piece out and ended up short-circuiting the damn thing. While she waited for the food to heat up she looked at her freshly done manicure. She hadn’t been in the mood for anything fancy, just some nail tips. One day she’d attempt to grow her own but she had a habit of biting her fingernails. She stopped staring at her hands and checked the answering machine. For some reason she preferred to have an old fashioned answering machine instead of that voice secretary offered by the phone company. She’d tried that and had always forgotten the number to call in order to get her messages. She frowned when she heard her mother’s voice. “Nicky, I need for you to call me. It’s important.” Now, her mother rarely called her for anything. She forgot all about the Chinese food and picked up the phone. “Mama, it’s Nicky, what’s wrong?” she asked as soon as her mother got on the phone.
“If l had someone else to call, I wouldn’t be bothering you,” she said stiffly, then, got straight to the point. “I’m going in for cataract surgery and after the surgery I’ll need to recuperate for a few days. I wanted to know if I could stay there?” “You mean with me?” Dominique gulped. “Yes, at your place. Or either you could stay over here for a while?” Dominique immediately dismissed that idea. There would be no way she’d set foot in that religious shrine. At her mother’s, you couldn’t even go to the bathroom without the eyes of Jesus watching. It made her skin crawl. “Nicky, are you there?” “Yeah, I’m here Mama. You can stay with me,” she finally said. “When is the surgery and are you going to need for me to pick you up?” “It’s tomorrow at two o’clock and I’ll catch a taxi. Don’t want to trouble you too much. You letting me stay over there is truly a blessing.” “Okay Mama, I have to go now.” She wasn’t in the mood for a sermon. “Do you still have that spare key that I gave you?”
“It’s somewhere in my purse. But, I know I got it.” “Good. When you get here, I’ll probably still be at work. So, just let yourself in and make yourself at home.” *** Dominique had spent the day pouring over figures with Arvind. They’d spent the rest of the time on the Lauderdale account. Since Brenda was still out, she’d also had to type up a few memos. When five o’clock had rolled around, she had been too glad to leave. Amazingly, Mr. Thompson had been civil the entire day. When she stepped into her apartment, the aroma of pork chops teased her nostrils. The familiar smell caused her stomach to rumble. She hadn’t had pork chops in quite a while because of her strict diet. Besides, she never could cook them like her mama. She hadn’t liked the taste when she’d used Shake N Bake. It just wasn’t the same.
“Hello Mama,” Dominique called out. “In the kitchen, dear.” She found her mama stirring a skillet that held pork chops smothered in brown gravy. “Should you be up?” she asked. “I’m okay. They just told me not to life anything heavy. That’s all.” “Mama, how can you see in those?” She wore dark shades that had to be thicker than Stevie Wonder’s. “I can see just fine. I have to wear these until my next appointment.” “I’m sure it’s okay if you take them off inside.” “I’ll do no such thing. I don’t want anything causing a setback. You do want me out of your apartment in a few days, don’t you?” she added. “Calm down Mama. I was just saying. Besides, you can stay here as long as you need. You know I don’t mind.” A short pause lingered then her mama sighed tiredly. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll fix you a plate. You are hungry, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am, I’m practically starving. I worked right through lunch. Did I tell you that Mr. Troutman died?” she asked, pulling out a chair and plopping down. “He did? No, you didn’t tell me.” her mother exclaimed, turning from the stove. “Why you didn’t call me up and tell me? At least I could have made it to the funeral. You know, his wife and I went to the same church before she married him. Then they became Lutherans.” Dominique watched as her mama piled food on two plates. “Luciferan,” Dominique quipped. “What was that?” “Nothing, Mama. Yes, Mr. Troutman kicked the bucket. Just like that. They said it was a heart attack. You can still attend the funeral ‘cause he’s not in the ground yet. I’ll have to find out when and where the services will be held.” “That’s a shame.” “Now, his nephew is running the company.” “I didn’t know he had a nephew. What type of person is he?”
“He’s an as- he’s anal,” she said catching her slip of the tongue. “I meant, is he a Christian?” “Mama, I don’t know. I don’t go prying all into that man’s personal business. Besides, I can barely stand him. Ever since Brenda’s been out sick, he’s had me doing my job and hers.” “You know, according to the Good Book, we are to bear one another’s burdens.” “I understand Mama and I’m doing my best. It’s just that Arvind-” Her words trailed off. “I just can’t figure him out.” She told her mother about the coffee incident. “Maybe it was just a test,” Mrs. Green said, placing a plate in front of Dominique. The aroma floated into her nostrils causing her to forget all about Arvind. She dug into the pork chop and took a huge bite. “This is scrumptious,” she said. “Even though pork is the last thing my waistline needs, I’m going to enjoy every last fattening bite.”
Mrs. Green looked across the table at her daughter and couldn’t hold back her laughter. “Child, you are something else. If you’re worried about your waistline now, just wait until you start having babies.” *** “Nicky, why don’t you have any Bibles on your bookshelf?” Mrs. Green asked later. They sat in the living room watching television. “I keep my Bible on my nightstand.” But, it’s not like she ever read it. She wasn’t going to tell her mother that though. “Well, it’s good to have more than one version. You know they got the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New International Version. I got one called the Devotional Bible. It’s easy to read and it has notes.” “That’s nice Mama,” she said absently flipping through the pages of Ebony magazine. She wanted to read the article they’d written about Tyler Perry. She’d loved his movie, Diary of a Mad Black
Woman, mainly because that fine Shemar Moore played in it. She didn’t think Kimberly Elise was all that cute, but that was just her opinion. It looked like she needed a new weave stylist. It was just something about her eyes that gave her a crazed look. She certainly was lucky, getting to play Shemar’s love interest in that movie. What Dominique wouldn’t give to be able to go a round with sexy bones. Tyler Perry wasn’t half bad himself. She’d even give him a run for his money. “You should read the book of Ruth,” her mother said. “Huh?” She glanced up from the article. “I said, you should read the book of Ruth when you get time. It might give you an idea on how to get a husband.” Dominique tossed the Ebony magazine aside. “Mama, what is with you all of a sudden? First, you made the comment about babies, now you’re talking about husbands. Are you implying that I need to get married?”
“Well, you ain’t getting any younger and neither am I,” her mother said. “Besides, there’s something I haven’t told you.” Now Dominique’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t like her mother’s tone of voice. “Mama, what haven’t you told me?” “I just didn’t want to worry you. You know, I’ve always wanted to have a closer relationship with you, but now-“ “Mama, what is it?” Now she was beginning to get more than a little nervous. “The doctor told me that I have high blood pressure. You know what that means,” she finally said. Dominique exhaled the breath of air she’d been holding in her lungs. Thank God she hadn’t said she had cancer or something else that was fatal. “Mama, that doesn’t mean anything. It means that you’re going to keep your blood pressure down.” “My mama died from a stroke. You remember that, don’t you? And her mother suffered two
strokes before she died. High blood pressure is serious.” “I know it’s serious. That’s why we’re going to keep yours down,” she said firmly. “Mama, I’m not ready to lose you.” She felt a lump form in her throat and swallowed it down with difficulty. Her mother came over and gave her a tight hug. She wanted to stay in her mom’s arms forever. That way, she’d know that she was always safe. *** Over the next few days Dominique and her mother actually bonded. Dominique could sense that her mother had changed. She wasn’t carrying on about hell all the time. She wasn’t overly critical of Dominique’s way of life. She didn’t point the finger or accuse her of being such a sinner. “You know, I’ve been visiting different congregations,” Miss Green told her one morning over coffee. “What? Mama, you left the Holiness Church of Christ?” That was news to her.
“Sure did. It was hard because I’d belonged to that church for over thirty years. But, I had to go.” “Why did you leave?” she asked, curious. “Sometimes, you just have to find out things for yourself. One day, you just have to sit down and have a one-on-one conversation with God. He’ll lead you in the right direction. If you’re lost, He’ll lead you back on the path so that you can be found. Right now, I’m at a point where I just go where He takes me. I follow in His footsteps. When I’m too weak, I let Him carry me.” “That’s amazing,” she said, meaning it. “Yes it is. Nicky, you know, nobody can love you like God. And it’s that same kind of love that a man and a woman are supposed to have for one another.”